On this last Friday of the Q1 Weight Loss and Weight Management quarter, we present the correlation between weight management and stress, and highlight the Doodle 4 Google Winner as an appropriate theme for this topic. The winner for this Doodle received a $30k college scholarship - not bad, right?

There are many wonderful doodles to take a brief look at on the Google homepage today on your smartphone or computer. But, why doodle or draw? Kids practice it in order to express themselves when complex language cannot suffice or as honing a preferred skill set. As it turns out, adults should doodle and draw to clinically release stress. Why? High stress is highly correlated with struggles losing weight because of: (1) sleep disturbances, (2) elevated cortisol, and (3) “comfort” food seeking behaviors. So, why not find a different outlet and distraction from the pantry or refrigerator this weekend? Draw, build, organize, create, and use your mind and hands to release stress and refresh you.

The Research:
A recent study showed clinical decreases in stress hormones for participants who crafted something for 45 minutes, using a tool of their choice. Before the crafting commenced, researchers recorded the cortisol levels of the study participants. Cortisol is a biological indicator correlated to stress — the higher your cortisol level is, the more stressed out you probably are. The participants also described their artistic experience prior to the study. Almost half described their art background as “limited.”

After the very scientific craft party, researchers again tested the participants’ cortisol levels. Approximately 75 percent of the participants displayed lower levels of cortisol, indicating lower stress levels. Although the exact amount of cortisol varied slightly amongst the participators, these levels did not correspond to their prior experience in the arts nor the tool they chose for their craft.